Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.
Il est un mal que j'ai vu sous le soleil, et ce mal est grand sur l'homme:
2 It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune.
Tel homme à qui Dieu a donné richesses, trésors et gloire, et qui ne manque pour son âme de rien de ce qu'il peut désirer; mais Dieu ne lui permet pas d'en jouir, car c'est un étranger qui en jouit: voilà une vanité et un mal grave.
3 If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he.
Quand un homme aurait engendré cent fils, eût vécu de nombreuses années, et que les jours de ses années se seraient multipliés, si son âme ne s'est pas rassasiée de bonheur, et qu'il n'ait pas même eu de sépulture, je dis qu'un avorton est plus heureux que lui.
4 For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.
Car il est venu en vain, il s'en va dans les ténèbres, et les ténèbres couvriront son nom;
5 He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.
il n'a même ni vu ni connu le soleil, il a plus de repos que cet homme.
6 Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place?
Et quand il vivrait deux fois mille ans, sans jouir du bonheur, tout ne va-t-il pas au même lieu?
7 Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.
Tout le travail de l'homme est pour sa bouche; mais ses désirs ne sont jamais satisfaits.
8 What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life?
Car quel avantage a le sage sur l'insensé? Quel avantage a le pauvre qui sait se conduire devant les vivants?
9 It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit.
Ce que les yeux voient est préférable à la divagation des désirs. Cela encore est vanité et poursuite du vent.
10 Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself.
De toute chose qui arrive, le nom est déjà prononcé; on sait ce que sera un homme, et il ne peut contester avec qui est plus fort que lui.
11 There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.
Car il y a beaucoup de paroles qui ne font qu'accroître la vanité: quel avantage en revient-il à l'homme?
12 Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?
Car qui sait, en effet, ce qui est bon pour l'homme dans la vie, pendant les jours de sa vie de vanité, qu'il passe comme une ombre? Et qui peut indiquer à l'homme ce qui sera après lui sous le soleil?
